Transsexual Courage Under Fire

Surely it seems the path to coming out as a transsexual firefighter would be an exceptionally difficult journey.
Recently the "Fire 20/20" site featured an article by Lana Moore.
Here's an excerpt:

"On the wall at my engine house hangs a large framed photo featuring the silhouette of a firefighter against vivid flames. Underneath is a caption that reads: “Courage comes from a reserve of mind more powerful than outside circumstances.”  As emergency first responders we are often lauded for our courage following some bold public act, yet I believe that the hardest courage is sometimes being brave enough to be honest with yourself.

Coming out as a male to female transsexual on the fire department wasn't easy. Wow, that's an understatement if ever there was one. In fact, for the longest time, not only did I think it would be extremely difficult, I believed it impossible. Having been on female hormones for two years, my physical transformation was well under way. I had recently separated from my wife and our marriage dissolution was pending. I decided that it was time to make my announcement and begin living socially and professionally as a woman, but I was convinced that there was no reality for me where I could be true to myself and also keep my job as a Fire Captain."

Check out the link for more of this wonderful story!

"Title of the Day"!

Internalized Transphobia: Butch Worship and the Misogyny of Femme Bashing.

No comment-"I doesn't know it?"

Never Too Old!

From the Shanghaiist comes this story called
"Man enough to be a woman". Here's an excerpt:

"Qian Jinfan (钱今凡), a 84-year-old calligrapher, art critic and retired government official based in Foshan, has become China's oldest openly transgender individual, after outing herself in an an exclusive interview with the Southern Metropolitan Daily, in her bid to promote understanding of transgenders in China."

Although I know many  in our community scorn so called "late bloomers" such as Qian (and I) it's a tribute to transgender individuals of any age to finally be able to persue their gender quest and it's a bigger tribute to those who go public with their lives!

Just an Idea

Really?

A new campaign has been announced for a line of ‘Pride’ tees and tanks made in partnership with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), features ANTM alum Isis King, who happens to be transgender (and anorexic) This is the first time ever that American Apparel has featured an openly transgender model in a campaign. Proceeds from the tees, which are screen-printed with “Legalize Gay” and “GAY OK,” will partially benefit GLAAD and its work in the upcoming Pride marches across the country.

The idea is that the skeletal King sit down with the "Cake Boss". He has to model a T-shirt and King has to eat some cake and not run to the nearest bathroom.

Two Spirits Headed To DC.

PBS-Independent Lens broadcasted the film  TWO SPIRITS nationally from June 14th-29th, 2011. A year later, the "Two Spirit Group" has been invited to the White House! Follow this link 
to learn more plus news about another project "Shi Ma' ".

More Cake

TLC has pulled Monday's episode of Cake Boss after RuPaul's Drag Race star Carmen Carrera, a transgender woman, expressed that she was very unhappy with how she was portrayed on the reality show.
According to the L.A. Times, Carrera felt that producers brought her on the show under false pretenses, making her believe that she would be a role model for the transgender community, but instead fell victim to Valastro's "homophobic prank."

Read more: http://www.eonline.com/news/transgender_cake_boss_guest_star/323345#ixzz1xkg0HjUJ

Good, I sort of like cake. Never watched the show any how.

Having Your Cake and Not Eating It Too

Perhaps you've heard, read or even seen the episode of "Cake Boss" in which transgender beauty Carmen Carrera  is bullied after a prank.

Carmen Carrera

This version of the "prank" and the reaction comes from "NewNowNext".
"You know what’s a funny, funny way to get ratings? Do what the producers of Cake Bossdid and get a transgender woman on your show, convince her that you are helping to promote awareness with her role on the program and then publicly shame and mock her. Hatred is hysterical!"

"For their part some of the sensitive, sensitive souls at Cake Boss then thought it would be funny to continue to shame Carmen after the episode aired. When someone mocked Anthony, the castmember the prank was played on, for kissing a man, Anthony had this to say: “hahaha nah I didn’t it give [sic] me a kiss on the cheek.”

“It” gave him a kiss on the cheek. What an amazing guy that Anthony must be."

Follow the link to read Carrera's comments. Of course she was upset but couldn't a lot of people see this coming? Pranking a guy into thinking he was kissing a genetic woman? Really? How's that working for everyone? Not so good.

There is a petition on "Change.Org" demanding an well deserved apology though and the "Cake Boss" star "Buddy Valastro has already done just that.

 

Transgender in the Work Place

Transgender In The Workplace: An Idea Whose Time Is Now

It’s a remarkable moment to be openly transgender and working for a living.  Extraordinary progress has occurred in this timely area of business interest over the last dozen years or so.  For example, in the year 2000 there were only three Fortune 500 companies with anti-discrimination protection for transgender employees.  Today, nearly half of the Fortune 500 organizations have adopted policies that protect transgender employees from discrimination.

Despite various political efforts to pass a transgender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), there is still no federal statute that protects transgender workers.  However, in an amazing turn of events, in April of 2012, the federal government’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects transgender workers from on-the-job discrimination. The ruling formally took effect on May 23, 2012, and the nation's employers have now officially been put on notice that transgender discrimination won't be tolerated in the workplace.

Here's your link for more!

Where's That Soapbox?

As you probably have determined, I have a soap box with me at all times. I jump up on it to preach or whine.
Or maybe a big ax to grind would be a great description too! It's tough to make these great fashion accessories and I feel both just make me a victim. (Which I hate.)
Actually, life is good.  Summer in my part of the world has allowed me to pursue fashion styles I was never able to try.
(Work prevented me from showing up with suddenly hairless arms.)
I've even been able to slowly coerce a little color out of my very fair skin.
Interestingly, I have been able to "jender jump" without apprehension or fear to help family or friends. I can't or don't want to jump much. If I wanted to be a guy, I certainly would have found something less stressful to do with my life than crossing gender boundaries. On the other hand, what's left of any male strength I have left has helped family and friends.
Now that I have a stable concrete transition timetable saying goodby to my old life isn't so difficult all of the sudden.
Obviously changes are rolling along with my body which aren't so earth shattering anymore but still very noticeable. All of the sudden it seems my whole body needs soaked in cocoa butter to stay soft and not dry.  Also, I was never very heat resistant but now it's worse. I have not acquired the feminine desire to lay out and soak up the sun-guess I'm a vampire.
I'm asked by some what has been the biggest change so far? For me, the hot flashes are far and away stand out. Never have I experienced anything like them.
Sure I get more emotional and sure my breasts are much more sensitive but in lesser doses I still experienced them as a guy. If you have ever heard of a human suddenly internally combusting- it started with a hot flash I'm sure.
So it is time to soak in a huge dose of reality. Put the ax down, burn the soap box ( with a hot flash) and acquire a big piece of fine cheese to go with my whine!